Overcoming limitations

The captain of the junior varsity boys soccer team is what every team member labels "inspirational."

Veronica Vargo

The captain of the junior varsity boys soccer team is what every team member labels "inspirational."

Pacific Law Academy student Eduardo Vasquez is not the person to complain about an injury and say he couldn't play that week. He wouldn't make that excuse a day in his life.

Vasquez sits on the bench and eagerly waits his turn to play with the rest of the soccer team. Having played for fun since he was 7, he never played on a real team until now. It was his uncle who attended Stagg years ago who encouraged him to sign up. He doesn't regret it.

Soccer has provided Vasquez with team members who will be there for him no matter what and when around him stand as a barrier against anyone who tries to mess with him.

Many see he is an exquisite soccer player, and many observers would agree. Vasquez is two steps ahead of the game, always anticipating the next move. The only thing he can't do is get a foul for a hand ball.

Vasquez was born without arms.

One would think this would drive a person to stay at home, or feel embarrassed, but not "Eggy." He sees this difference as a confidence booster, a reason to work harder than everybody else.

There is literally nothing he gives up on.

Fellow freshman teammate Jonah Renteria said, "Even though he gets behind a lot, he does everything that everybody else does."

When JV boys coach Homar Juarez told the team to do some push-ups, he was shocked to see Vasquez on the floor doing them right alongside his teammates... using his head. That's when Juarez realized that there really wasn't anything more they could ask of him.

Defeat is not an option for this young 14 year old.

"Vasquez is the first one at practice and the last one to leave," Juarez said. "He's captain because he is always encouraging the team and even in the middle of the pack he pushes everyone to work harder."

In fact, when playing scrimmages against the varsity team, he always plays the hardest he can.

"My favorite part so far in the season is when I scored a goal against varsity," Vasquez said.

But that wasn't his first goal. Vasquez has made two goals this season and just like his coach, his parents are encouraging him to push the limit and aim for more.

Everybody is an equal on the field and everybody respects that. Most of the players on his team and on the higher level see him as a reason to work harder. Even though he is different, the team doesn't treat him any differently.

However, there are other tasks that Vasquez completes besides playing soccer. He can write clearly, play guitar, and get dressed all on his own, not to mention a lot of other things. He just uses his feet.

Ridiculed while he was young, Vasquez proved to be strong and resilient at an early age. When people had rude comments or made fun of him, he often just ignored them. His friends surely stood by his side as well, proving to be the kind of friends he needs.

Vasquez doesn't take what he has been blessed with and use it as an excuse to not do what he loves to do.

He doesn't see himself as disabled. He sees himself as an equal among the rest of the population.

Even when faced with challenges, he is never scared to confront them. He shows his bravery every day. When he steps on the field he feels like "the king of the world."